Oven-baked chicken leg quarters with a delicious marinade, juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, are a simple and flavorful dish. Perfect for everyday meals, they can also make an affordable festive dish for special occasions, such as Christmas or New Year’s Eve.
Very quick to prepare, this recipe is perfect for making alongside side dishes or desserts.
This simple and delicious recipe for tender, juicy, and crispy chicken thighs will delight your taste buds.
Oven-roasted chicken leg quarters
Chicken is the meat we eat most often at home. It has many advantages: an incredible variety of recipes, lower cost, less fat, and faster cooking.
I often bake chicken leg quarters and drumsticks in the oven, as they cook quickly and are more practical for small groups than roasting a whole chicken.
By changing the ingredients in the marinade, you can vary the flavors and enjoy a different taste each time.
The marinade used today in this recipe for oven-roasted chicken legs gives the meat an exquisite flavor. The chicken is perfectly seasoned with spices and mustard, with a slightly sweet hint of honey.
Table of Contents
Ingredients:
NB: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
- 6 chicken leg quarters (adjust the quantity as needed)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil (3 for the marinade and 2 for drizzling on the baking dish)
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon Espelette pepper (optional, for a spicy touch)
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon turmeric or curry powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation Steps:
Start by thoroughly washing the chicken leg quarters. Place them in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of salt and the juice of a lemon or 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Rub well to remove excess fat. Soak for ten minutes, then rinse and drain in a colander. If the chicken is purchased ready-to-cook, skip this step but remove any excess fat.
Once drained, pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture, which will ensure the skin becomes golden and crispy during cooking.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
In a bowl or dish, mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the spices, mustard, honey, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Generously brush both sides of the chicken leg quarters with the marinade, making sure each piece is thoroughly coated, and gently lift the skin to spread some marinade underneath for extra flavor.
Arrange the chicken leg quarters on a baking tray greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes, placing a drip pan on the upper rack. If you don’t have a drip pan, after 20 minutes, cover the chicken with parchment paper and aluminum foil to prevent the marinade from burning.
If the pan dries out, add a little water. Baste the chicken leg quarters twice with the cooking juices during baking.
To check doneness, lightly prick the meat near the bone. If the juices run clear, the chicken is fully cooked.
About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the drip pan or parchment paper and collect the juices in a small saucepan. Leave about 2 spoonfuls on the baking tray.
Turn the leg quarters over to brown the hollow side, then flip them again to brown the other side.
Reduce the cooking juices in the saucepan to make a flavorful sauce.
Serve the chicken leg quarters piping hot, brushing them with the sauce.
Serve with your choice of sides. For my part, I chose mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed green beans with fine herbs, accompanied by a bit of the fragrant sauce.
Note: You can remove the skin from the chicken leg quarters if you prefer, or use only the chicken thighs and cook them in the same way.
What to serve with these baked chicken leg quarters?
Baked chicken leg quarters go perfectly with a variety of sides.
Roasted vegetables: Choose any vegetables you like, such as carrots, potatoes, onions, zucchinis, or peppers. To roast them, simply cut into pieces, season with a mixture of spices, herbs, and olive oil, and place them in the oven alongside the chicken. The result is a complete, flavorful meal.
Rice or quinoa: A portion of basmati rice or quinoa is always a crowd-pleaser.
Salad: A simple salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light vinaigrette.
Purée: A creamy purée of your favorite vegetable, such as mashed potatoes, butternut squash, parsnip, or sweet potato purée.
Pre-cooked vegetables: Steam or sauté vegetables of your choice, like broccoli, green beans, or asparagus, with garlic, Herbes de Provence, olive oil, or butter.
Couscous or bulgur: Seasoned with herbs and spices, they make a delicious accompaniment.
Choose your sides according to your taste to create a balanced and satisfying meal.
Baked Chicken Leg Quarters (Crispy and Juicy)
INGREDIENTS
- 6 chicken leg quarters adjust the quantity as needed
- 5 tablespoons olive oil 3 for the marinade and 2 for drizzling on the baking dish
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon Espelette pepper optional, for a spicy touch
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon turmeric or curry powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
- Start by thoroughly washing the chicken leg quarters. Place them in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of salt and the juice of a lemon or 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Rub well to remove excess fat. Soak for ten minutes, then rinse and drain in a colander. If the chicken is purchased ready-to-cook, skip this step but remove any excess fat.
- Once drained, pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture, which will ensure the skin becomes golden and crispy during cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- In a bowl or dish, mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the spices, mustard, honey, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Generously brush both sides of the chicken leg quarters with the marinade, making sure each piece is thoroughly coated, and gently lift the skin to spread some marinade underneath for extra flavor.
- Arrange the chicken leg quarters on a baking tray greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes, placing a drip pan on the upper rack. If you don’t have a drip pan, after 20 minutes, cover the chicken with parchment paper and aluminum foil to prevent the marinade from burning.
- If the pan dries out, add a little water. Baste the chicken leg quarters twice with the cooking juices during baking.
- To check doneness, lightly prick the meat near the bone. If the juices run clear, the chicken is fully cooked.
- About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the drip pan or parchment paper and collect the juices in a small saucepan. Leave about 2 spoonfuls on the baking tray.
- Turn the leg quarters over to brown the hollow side, then flip them again to brown the other side.
- Reduce the cooking juices in the saucepan to make a flavorful sauce.
- Serve the chicken leg quarters piping hot, brushing them with the sauce.
- Serve with your choice of sides. For my part, I chose mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed green beans with fine herbs, accompanied by a bit of the fragrant sauce.
- Note: You can remove the skin from the chicken leg quarters if you prefer, or use only the chicken thighs and cook them in the same way.
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